Crafts Hobbies Books

This is for the paperback book/dvd combination.

The DVD is of two "Sewing with Nancy" shows for a total of 60 minutes. The first show covers general measurements and fitting top patterns. It also has a "Nancy's Corner" segment on quilts using Zulu designs.The second show covers fitting pants. "Nancy's Corner" segment is about quilts for the "Go Red" heart campaign. The pivot method is used throughout. Details covered in the first show are: right-size measurement (see below) and taking accurate measurements for the bust, waist, hip, hip length, back waist length, and sleeve length. Nancy shows how to adjust the bust, shoulders and sleeves. Details covered in the second show include adjustments for waist, hip, crotch and fitting the side curve.

The book has six chapters:
Getting Started
Basic Fitting Changes
Combining Fitting Techniques
Fitting Skirts
Fitting Pants
Fine-Tuning the Fit

The book has more detail than the video allows. Nancy uses one measurement to choose a pattern for tops. She calls this the "right size measurement". It is the line from one arm pit to the other arm pit to the closest 1/2 inch. She shows how to correlate this to a pattern size. This allows for a better fit than using the bust measurement. The book shows how to do the pivot and slide technique which can be used to make any changes needed. The book shows details of all the adjustments on the video plus more such as sway back, curved back and dart changes. The combining fitting chapter shows how to increase one part while decreasing another part. In the pants fitting chapter, Nancy does not use the hip measurement to determine pants size. This is to avoid a baggy fit in the legs and a low hanging crotch. Instead she includes a chart to determine your size which is about two sizes smaller than usual. The final chapter includes details on checking the fit. It shows a chart on vertical and horizontal wrinkles and how to correct them. The reference section has a body silhouette chart that shows the best styles, colors and fabrics for common body types.The index is also helpful.

There are multiple illustrations on each page clearly demonstrating each fitting technique. The pivot method is used for all pattern adjustments. The charts for personal fitting and for pants can be photo copied.

I don't consider any book a must have. However,this book shows the pivot method very clearly. I always admire Nancy Zieman's well fitting clothes so I don't think I can go wrong by using the methods shown. The video clearly and easily shows how to do the pivot method,and the book fills in any missing gaps. I am confident this book will get much use.

This is an awsome companion to the early Elm Creek Quilt book series. Anyone who enjoyed the novels will absolutely love actually seeing the quilts that were described in the books. I, for one, will continue to purchase any of the Jennifer Chiaverini, Elm Creek Quilt series.

Really enjoyed this series ..... lots of variety in the lives of the main characters .......

In receiving this book, as other Elm Creek Quilting books, I have enjoyed seeing what I have read in Ms Chiaverini's writings. I am working on a form of Sarah's Sampler from this book. I highly recommend all of the Elm Creek Quilting books to beginner or advanced quilter. Also, if you have not read Jennifer Chiaverini's Elm Creek Series I am sure they will bring you immense joy in knowing how our "forequilters" brought their projects to completion.

Being relatively new to quilting (have only been quilting for two years) I admit I bought this book only because I liked the novels so much, intending to some day have the time and skills to make the wonderful quilts I imagined and that were so beautifully brought to life in the cover at least (Round robin is practically exactly as I imagined it to be).

To my surprise, the quilts were not lovely. They were exquisite! I went mad about them! and on reading the instructions I found them clear, and the bits and snips of information about the characters and extracts from the novels only added to the charm of the quilt, for they reminded me about the circumstances in the novel around that particular quilt.

I highly reccomend this book, and since I am already starting one of the projects, soon I will add a review about how it was to actually follow the instructions to a neophite. I expect more experienced quilters will have no trouble at all

As I was reading the Elm Creek Quilts Novels, I tried to picture these works of art in my mind. This book was a delight because I was able to refer back and forth from the book to the quilt. It enabled me to enjoy the novels even more! Thanks so much for that "extra enhanced" visual. It has inspired me to start making my own quilt blocks.

I am a beginner in jewelry making, and at this point unsure which part of it to specialize on (I am leaning towards wireworking, but this book looked too beautiful to pass up). This book has so many gorgeous pieces that you can easily customize as you get better. It is definitely a bit of a challenge for a beginner, but with a bit of patience and research, I think you will be proud of what you can accomplish with this book.

I would recommend this book to all beaders, if only for the eye candy. The jewelry is amazing and the photography is fantastic. I haven't made anything from the patterns as yet, but they look to be very well written and sensible.

I am as addicted to books as I am to beading! Two of my favorite books are by Carol Wilcox Wells and though I have purchased many books since hers have been published, this is the first I would rank as highly as I rank hers. It is filled with inspiring, beautiful, and most importantly, ORIGINAL designs. It is a book that is a wonderful addition to an intermediate to advanced beader's library. The projects are fun to create and the directions are clear and easy to follow. I liked this book so much I bought 3 more to "gift" my beading friends with!!

The theme of the book is romantic, almost Victorian looking pieces. Most of the supplies called for are really easy to find in local bead stores, and the rest can be found searching online.
The beginning of the book has some basic information about the supplies used, including what the author likes and dislikes about some threads and needles, and what the best application is for them.
Then you get into the rest of the book, the projects. They are stunning. They range from very easy and elegant chain and wirework projects, simple beadwoven projects with some lovely surface embellishment, and then some incredibly dramatic looking bead woven pieces. The color photographs are inspiring and the instructions and diagrams are very well written. Many of the projects are meant for the intermediate beader.
Don't be daunted though, the back of the book has stitch diagrams, and the text of each project is well written step by step.
My favorite thing about the projects is that a few of them combine techniques. Chain as an accent on a beadwoven necklace for example. Some of her designs are completely unexpected pairings of techniques and beads that turn out looking amazing.
Like I said, most supplies can be found easily at a good local bead store, and some projects are entirely made of easily found supplies, which is always nice in a book like this. The V Scallop necklace for example, you may have all the supplies you need on hand, or be inspired by it to make something similar with the supplies you do have on hand.
My personal favorite project in the whole book is the intricate motif constructed Victorian Diamond Cuff. It looks difficult, but it's actually made of diamond shaped motifs that look easy enough one at a time.
If you're an intermediate beader looking for inspiration and ideas, or a beginning beader looking for a challenge, I recommend this book.

I usually like to browse jewelry books at the store before purchasing them, but I couldn't find this one at Barnes and Noble, so I decided to take a chance on it. I'm definitely not disappointed!!! The designs run the gamut from a beaded rivoli Y necklace to a more contemporary lariat to a gorgeous pearl and crystal cuff based around a diamond motif. I would agree with other reviewers that this probably isn't the best book for beginners. I enjoy that the designs incorporate basic wirework, chain, filigree, and wire mesh, in addition to the typical beading. The designs also utilize a variety of stitches (right-angle weave, Ndebele, circular peyote, and so forth), making it a great way to expand your beading skills.

Got this 4 months after I 1st learned to crochet. I love it--beautifully colored photos, very readable diagrams, plus the spiral binding & compact size make it a great "bring along" book I can just throw into a small bag with my yarn and hook. First I thought it might be too tedious to learn how to read the symbol diagrams for the patterns. THEN I discovered each right-hand page also has tiny quick-reference on its margin to remind me of the name of each symbol, so I didn't have to keep going back to the full symbol guide. I learned the Tunisian stitch in just minutes from reading this book! Soon I'll know how to read symbol diagrams, too!

As soon as you get this book, provided you have crochet hooks & yarn on hand...you will be able to make something using the simplest of stitches (chaining & single crochet) to more elaborate ones...no matter where you stand as a crocheter...the clear, straightforward diagrams & pictures will make you better before you know it. Worth getting & adding to your library.

I am new to crochet and have made a few baby blankets and a couple of sweaters. I picked this book up as a resource to enlarge my stitch knowledge after learning the basics in the Stitch 'N Bitch Crochet: The Happy Hooker. I enjoy the variety of stitches in this spiral bound book ranging from Lace stitches to Squares. The best thing I like about the book is that it includes both Charted and written instructions so if you don't quite understand one the other set can usually help you out. I have made a sampler afghan out of the blocks section and am working on a custom wedding shawl for a coworker with the daisy lace pattern. Bottom line is that if you're new to crochet and know your single, double and treble crochet, this book is the logical next step. It is a good blend of easy to moderate stitches that pique your interest. If you are more advanced this book may seem a little basic and boring to you. But I would still suggest it as a refresher reference.

Where to start with this book? The book's spiral binding keeps the page open where you want it (a feature every craft book should have, IMO). There are positively oodles of different stitches and stitch patterns, which are grouped into like collections. Toward the beginning, there is an overview of every stitch pattern featured in the book, so that it is easy to spot something you like and find out what page it's on. Each stitch has a color picture of a sample swatch (which doesn't always show the greatest detail, but does a pretty good job), a chart showing how to do the stitch pattern (a must have for a visual person like me, to whom the written explanations are like deciphering ancient Aramaic by smell), and a written explanation.

There are no project patterns in this book, but with so many different stitch patterns, you'll probably end up with a dozen little project ideas of your own. I know I did.

I also love Donna Kooler's Encyclopedia of Crochet.

Read the first four chapters before searching the book for a pattern. It explains everything you need to know to understand the stitch collection that follows. The graphs are outstanding, and the principals of each stitch are shown and explained clearly. Good book for beginners and those who have crocheted for years.

I received this book today and what fun it was to look through! Gorgeous full-color illustrations and patterns. As the title suggests, there are a wide variety of activities in the book. Simple things that even kids can do (that are still stylish) and more complicated crafts/cooking for adults. I am very pleased with this purchase and I think the price is excellent considering the amount of information contained in the book. I would highly recommend it to anyone looking for ideas for things to do with their kids or anyone looking to jazz up their Halloween decor.

When I started weaving MANY years ago, overshot just fascinated me. However, it did seem regulated to doing placemats and napkins and I quickly lost interest. This book has renewed my interest in trying this "basic" weave structure in new and exciting ways -- now, I just need to find the time to try some of Madelyn's excellent suggestions!

I was looking for scarf patterns and feel quite lucky to have found this book. The patterns are clear and very easy to read without losing your place while knitting. The pictures are clear and helpful. I have already knitted one scarf and have casted on for my second.

I like the book very much. The pictures are delicate, and even if my scarf production soon is filled up forever, I want to knit them. The book tells about summer and lazy days, days when you dont need a scarf at all.
I will come back with a picture when I have completed one of the patterns.

I loved this book as soon as I saw it. The variety of scarves cover all skill levels and sizes, from a light summer scarf to a shawl. At least one offers an alternate method of working the pattern to get a totally different look. I would recommend this book for everyone from a beginner looking for inspiration to an experienced knitter.

I originally bought this book for the starfish scarf, but have since fallen in love with a handful of others. I'm currently working on the fishnet scarf and I just love the pattern. Sure, it's simple, but who cares. It's a gorgeous pattern, as are all the other scarves in here.

It's not just another scarf book. And it's true that you can find most of the patterns in Babara Walker's Treasury of Knitting Patterns series. But the styling is great, the instructions clear (there is a correction for the Mermaid Mesh on the Martingale website) and it's very easy to get started. I'm an experienced knitter and intend to make a lot of these scarves or turn them into afghans.

I purchased this book to go along with the others I had owned previously. This book has many step by step pictures in large enough size you can clearly see hos the knots are tied. Even though I just got this book today, I am very well pleased with the purchase and can reccomend this book especially for the beginner knottier.

Very user friendly. For someone just getting into decorative knot tying, this book, although far from "Complete", gives you enough variety to whet your appetite for more. The instructions are easy to follow, and the diagrams are extremely helpful. Practice these knots to get the techniques down, and then you'll be ready for something a bit more comprehensive.

Not quite what I expected. Some of the diagrams were difficult to follow. Some of the animated on-line knot sites were more useful.

Clean, easy-to-understand illustrations make this book perfect for those who want to learn to tie these beautiful knots.

This book is written by a member of the International Guild of Knot Tiers and is quite extensive. Not only does it give the basics of knot tieing but it moves into the the more advanced portions in later parts of the book. Very good images make tieing the knots very easy, but as always skill comes with practice. Excellent book for the beginner.

Wow - a picture does say a thousand words and this book is loaded with images that clarify a process, show a finished piece in all its beauty, and inspire confidence to design your own work utilizing the techniques described in this book. The highlights for me in this book are the "Bench Tips" as they provide little tips to help you in the process of working with metal...and yes, a more appropriate title would be "The Art & Craft of Making Metal Jewelry." The techniques described (pretty much covers everything) are short and I would have like more information, particularly if I were a beginner. The organization is excellent (see below). The gallery/completed pieces are perfect for throughout each section of the book. The few projects provided are definitely doable, maybe for the beginner, but more appropriately for the intermediate to advanced metal worker. Each project has each step clearly stated and labeled.

CONTENTS (as there is no Search Inside this Book):
*Introduction
*Metals & Their Properties (highly recommend this)
*Tools & Equipment (covers all the truly necessary pieces; the "Tool Kit" listing is very handy; includes recommended Safety Equipment - would have liked more info here, but many of the Bench Tips provide additional recommendations that are excellent reminders)
*Metalworking Basics
*Forming Metal (bending/shaping, forging, dapping, die forming, scoring, repousse, casting)
*Texturing Metal (roller, etching)
*Layering Metal (applique, granulation, filigree, kum boo)
*Mixing Metals (mokume gane)
*Adding Color (enamel, resin inlay, bezels, stones,
*Mechanisms (findings, clasps, hinges, chains)
*Metal Clay (very brief - basically just mentioning it and showing unique pieces)
*Templates (for the projects described in book)
*Contributing Authors (contributing in the sense of their pieces shown within the pages of the book)
*Acknowledgements
*About the Author
*Index

This is definitely a book for the PROFESSIONAL jewelry maker and a worthy reference tool for their library.

This book is really good and loaded with lots of information. It also has really neat projects. Lots of photos and easy to understand. I highly recommend this book to someone who is new to metalsmithing.

This book is worth buying if just for the gallery pictures that line the top of each page. The author reviews a wide variety of metal working techniques and while the instructions aren't thorough enough to stand on their own, there is enough information to introduce you to each method so that you can try it out, or peak your interest to further investigate the techniques using other resources. The photographic illustrations are clear and well-shot and there are tips throughout the book. Pictures of various artists' works are inspirational.

This is a really nice instructional book with great gallery photos and interesting and apealing projects. I particularly like the soldering instruction in this book over the others I own.

Joanna Gollberg does nice books. I've got some experience with metalsmithing and this book didn't have a whole lot of new information for me, but she explains techniques very well. The projects are interesting and her gallery shots (pictures of work from other artists) are just incredible.